Free Republic

Governments, corporations, and elites have always been fearful of the power of a free press, because it is capable of exposing their lies, destroying their carefully crafted images, and undermining their authority. In recent years, alternative journalism has been growing and more people are relying on social media platforms as sources of news and information. In response, the corporate state, digital conglomerates, and the mainstream media have been increasingly supportive of the silencing and censoring of alternative media outlets and voices that challenge the official narrative on most issues.At the recent World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, "Australian eSafety...

A few days ago, I penned an irritated tweet in response to one of the latest happenings on the increasingly heated culture war front in response to the decision of an actress (actor) named Ellen (Elliot) Page. I am employing this awkward and impossible multiple-naming style because it is now apparently mandatory — and probably doing it wrong, nonetheless, as “you’re doing it wrong” is the whole point of what has been made mandatory — but also to make a point.I have essentially been banned from Twitter as a consequence. I say banned, although technically I have been suspended. But...

The Silence of Pope Francis, Bishops Undermines the Pro-Life MovementEditor’s note: in light of yesterday’s tacit approval to pro-abortion Catholic Nancy Pelosi given by the Roman Pontiff in the midst of his silence regarding the Dobbs decision, we publish this important perspective from Mr. John Smeaton, reflecting on the United States Pro-Life achievement from England. The next step for the US pro-life movementThe American pro-life movement has achieved something which is magnificent to the point of being miraculous. The significance of the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse their decision on Roe v Wade is the fact that, amongst other things,...

CNN's ratings continue to slip in primetime to their lowest numbers in seven years, despite a public about face on sensationalism and opinion shows under new boss Chris Licht. The network, promised by Licht to 'go a different way' during a time 'where extremes are dominating cable news', appear to still be in the tank even during a month that saw the blockbuster January 6 hearings. Despite the hearings, which drew tens of millions of viewers across multiple networks, CNN had fewer viewers in June than it did in May, which continued a months-long downward slope for the network since...

Republican Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Friday that he would not be backing former President Donald Trump if he runs for the White House again over his false election fraud claims and behavior on January 6. He also said he would not sign legislation banning women from traveling to other states to get an abortion, but said he supports Arkansas' trigger law preventing most terminations which came into effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. 'I would not be supporting him (Trump) for 2024. He acted irresponsibly, during that time he was a risk to the nation, absolutely,'...

Elusive British street artist painted the tribute on door of concert venue where 90 people were killed in 2015French court on Thursday convicted eight men for the theft and handling of a Banksy painting paying homage to the victims of the 2015 attack on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris. Three men in their 30s who admitted to the 2019 theft were given prison sentences, one of four years and two of three, although they will be able to serve them wearing electronic-tracking bracelets rather than behind bars. Another man, a millionaire lottery winner and street art fan aged 41,...

Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, the idea of not being able to send their lady friends off to the local abortion clinic seems to have prompted young men to take interest in a permanent form of contraception. According to the Washington Post, doctors across the country are seeing a huge spike in requests for vasectomies in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling one week ago, and men under the age of 30 feature prominently among those now seeking the procedure. A Florida urologist told the outlet that he's seen vasectomy requests jump from four or...

Former President Donald Trump continues to hold a big lead among contenders to top the 2024 Republican national ticket, Emerson College Polling results showed Friday.Trump also continues to defeat President Joe Biden in a 2020 election rematch, Emerson College Polling (ECP) found.Trump (55%) clearly was the choice of GOP voters for 2024, Emerson results showed. He was followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (20%) and former Vice President Mike Pence (9%). No other potential Republican candidate received more than 5%.A total of 64% of Democrat voters said Biden should be the party's 2024 nominee, while 36% said he should not...

Gov. Kevin Stitt easily won the GOP primary on Tuesday in his race for reelection as Oklahoma governor, taking advantage of a massive fundraising edge to dispatch three fellow Republicans.Stitt's feuds with fellow Republicans in the Legislature and with many Oklahoma-based Native American tribes did not seem to bother GOP primary voters, although the strained relationship with tribes, which have grown more powerful with an influx of casino revenue in recent decades, likely will be a factor in November's general election.Independent Ervin Yen, an Oklahoma City anesthesiologist and former state senator, and Libertarian Natalie Bruno of Edmond also will be...

Former President Donald Trump said Thursday on Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America” that he got along well with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) when asked about the possibility of a Republican Trump-DeSantis ticket in 2024.”Host Rob Finnerty asked, “On 2024, 2.5 years from now, you haven’t said anything, you’ve hinted, you hinted Saturday night in Mendon, Illinois. Are Melania and Barron on board with a possible run again in 2.5 years?”Trump said, “Well, they love our country, and they hate to see what’s happening. So at the right time, I’ll be saying what I want to do. But they do. They...

By now, only the most dishonest or intentionally ignorant observers deny the existential crisis facing higher education. Universities no longer even maintain the pretense of dispassionate rational and free inquiry, focusing instead on a particularly toxic and frankly absurd form of “social-justice” activism, increasingly even in the hard sciences. Why does this situation persist? Here, I can contribute to our understanding, having had a front-row seat to perhaps the most spectacular failure of a higher-education reform effort in recent memory: the “Liberty Institute” at the University of Texas at Austin. No other recent effort that I know of has boasted...

Residents of San Diego (USA) and parts of Mexico filmed unidentified lights that they noticed in the night sky. According to them, these lights hovered over the Pacific Ocean: there were no planes or any other air means over that area. The lights appeared about an hour after sunset, around 20:00 local time on June 28, 2022. This phenomenon was observed from all over San Diego County and from Tijuana, Mexico. First, people noticed one group of lights, then a second one joined them. “They hovered in one place and were very bright - a crazy sight,” eyewitnesses characterize the...

America’s formidable military arsenal became even more so this week, as Raytheon Technologies revealed a brand-new rent-seeking missile.The rent-seeking missile represents a revolutionary breakthrough in stealth technology, capable of blowing up the budget of an entire country before its taxpayers even notice something is wrong. (snip)Besides the direct cost per missile, each rent-seeker will also automatically contribute an additional $5 million in aid to Ukraine and $10,000 to the bank account of each retired U.S. general currently working as a consultant.“Come on, don’t you care about Ukraine?” said Kremer. “Ukraine Ukraine Kyiv Putler Ukraine.”

Jaylon Ferguson, the 26-year-old Ravens linebacker who died unexpectedly in June, succumbed to the “combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine,” an autopsy revealed. Police initially ruled out any foul play or trauma. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner told the Baltimore Sun that Ferguson’s death was an accident. “Our priority is focused on the man Jaylon was and the positive impact he made on so many as a father, son, fiancé, friend and teammate,” the Ravens said in a statement via Pro Football Talk. “It would be inappropriate for us to comment further while we continue to support his...

Slip slidin’ away Slip slidin’ away You know the nearer the midterm elections The more you’re slip slidin’ away As Bill Clinton once said about elections, “It’s the economy, stupid.” Which is bad news for Biden and Democrats after Q1’s bad GDP report of -1.6% “growth”, we now see the Atlanta Fed’s real-time GDP report for Q2 at -2.1%. Today’s miserable construction spending report helped tank Q2’s real GDP forecast. Its getting late in the evening since the midterms are only a couple of months away and Biden’s approval rating is miserable. Sing it, Joe!

Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has not spoken to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris since January and says “greater communication” is needed between Guatemala and the United States to address the countries’ ongoing migration crisis. Giammattei told Breitbart News during a wide-ranging interview in Washington, DC, on Tuesday that the last communication he had with Harris — a phone call in January — was not focused on migration. “She told me she didn’t want me to appoint my attorney general. We didn’t talk about human trafficking. That was the only time that I spoke to her since she went to Guatemala,...

Sheriff Chris Kaber is concerned for the security of Klamath Basin community. On June 14, the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release warning the public of upcoming changes to pretrial release procedures in Oregon. A bill passed by the 2021 Oregon Legislature (Senate Bill 48) allows for the majority of those charged with low-level crimes to be released immediately after booking, often without bail. “When someone is suspected of victimizing others, it is appropriate for them to be brought before the judge for their initial plea. That is best accomplished by holding them in jail until they appear...

Escar-whoa! The alarming discovery of giant African snails — which can stretch up to 8 inches long — has sparked concern and quarantines in a Florida county. The state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs confirmed the presence of the mammoth mollusks in Pasco County this week and warned residents to keep their distance. The snails carry the frightfully named rat lungworm parasite that can induce meningitis in humans, officials cautioned. The invasive snails are also capable of ravaging vegetation and are known to dine on more than 500 types of plants. “These snails could be devastating to Florida agriculture...

CNN reports stores such as Target, Walmart, American Eagle and Gap are considering giving customers back their money for items they don’t want but don’t want the actual merchandise back. According to the report, the options are being considered because many retailers are struggling with tons of unpurchased inventory that must be stored. That problem is exacerbated by returns, prompting the unusual idea of letting customer keep merchandise while still offering a return.

PARIS AND WASHINGTON — Congress is pushing for more U.S. soldiers in Europe in its fiscal 2023 draft defense policy bills as the Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds on into its fifth month.The move aligns with President Joe Biden’s June 29 remarks at the NATO summit in Madrid, Spain, where he said the U.S. will establish a permanent base in Poland and will also send two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the UK as well as more air defense, among other capabilities, to Italy and Germany.